KREMMLING -- A University of Colorado regent suggested Friday that the board's vision statement include a line about the school making an effort to have political diversity on its faculty.

Jim Geddes, R-Sedalia, said the university should make a "concerted effort" to have a balance of Republicans and Democrats on its faculty in the humanities and other liberal arts disciplines.

The board, at its retreat at President Bruce Benson's mountain ranch, has been tasked with refining the school's vision statement. The board will likely approve a statement in September.

Earlier in the day, during an exercise with an outside consultant, regents were asked to say what they enjoy about their public service role and what gripes they have. Some regents on the elected board said they don't like partisan conflicts. Geddes -- who has at times been critical of university spending and the lack of political diversity -- said he doesn't like being the "chief curmudgeon."

Geddes told the board that he imagines a system where professors would voluntarily report their political leanings and the campuses could make an effort to balance out their academic departments.

"The faculty would have to buy into this," Geddes said.

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On the topic of diversity, CU Regent Joe Neguse, D-Boulder, said he would like to see the university focus on increasing its racial and ethnic diversity.

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